The 24-year-old Hefner, of Marion Avenue in Torrington, incarcerated for the last two and a half weeks on probation violations, appeared Tuesday before Judge James Ginocchio for sentencing in Superior Court.

His attorney, Public Defender Chris Cosgrove, said the sentence limits exposure time for Hefner, who is suffering form health issues and had to be hospitalized recently at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington for a lacerated spleen.

Cosgrove said the doctor’s advice was simple for an average citizen — don’t get involved in any fights — but is slightly more difficult for Hefner, in a insular, violent environment where scores are often settled and displays of machismo made through physical aggression.

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“That’s not the easiest thing to avoid in jail,” Cosgrove said.

Hefner’s ruptured spleen was detailed in a three-page report June 24 from doctors at Charlotte Hungerford. He was previously looked at by the staff at the University of Connecticut Health Center. But Hefner said doctors there briefly checked his vitals, gave him a prescription for painkillers and sent him on his way, despite Hefner complaining of severe, prolonged pain, he said.

“They did nothing, absolutely,” he told Ginocchio.

“I just can’t imagine that they would let this go without any testing, any treatment,” Ginocchio said.

Hefner said he strove to remain in compliance with probation terms and was working anywhere from 40 to 60 hours at a fast-food eatery, in addition to picking up side work with his father.

His explanation flew in the face of the number of non-compliant instances ticked off by State’s Attorney David Shepack.

“There was an excuse for everything,” Ginocchio asked Hefner. “Is that something you want me to believe?”